NY seeks stronger laws for day cares

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo addressed supporters of Hillary Clinton at the Sheraton New York in Manhattan after Clinton defeated Bernie Sanders in the New York primary April 19, 2016. (Photo: Seth Harrison/The Journal News)

ALBANY -- Day-care centers in New York may soon have to pay higher fines for penalties if Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s bill becomes law.

Under the governor’s proposal released this week, the maximum fine for serious violations would increase from $500 to $5,000.

The legislation would also set up standards to increase transparency for parents and caregivers, providing them more access more information about day cares.

"Parents deserve to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that their child-care providers are responsible and that their children are in good hands," Cuomo said in a statement.

The bill, if passed, would also allow the state to revoke day-care licenses for a wider range of violations, including inadequate supervision and failure to maintain a proper staff-to-child ratio.

Law enforcement would be notified if a provider is operating without a license, and the state would require the center to immediately close, the bill states.

The state Office of Children and Family Services would need to keep a registry of all day-care programs in the state, as well as any that had their licenses revoked over the past six years.

The increase in transparency for parents and caregivers would come from improving accessibility to a statewide database detailing compliance records and violation histories of child care programs.

Day cares regulated by New York City will also have enforcement practices bolstered by mandating the day cares to post inspection reports and violation histories the same way as state-regulated programs already do.

The state Legislature would have to pass the measure. The legislative session runs through mid-June.

"Passage of this legislation will serve to strengthen New York's position as having one of the most stringent and comprehensive oversight systems of inspection and enforcement in the country," said Sheila Poole, the acting director of the state Office of Children and Family Services.